Press Release: Binghamton Rumble Ponies and the Harriet Tubman Center of Binghamton University to Unveil Memorial Marker for Bud Fowler Friday

For Immediate Release

Date: August 30, 2023 by Jacob Wilkins

 

Memorial marker to be added to Downtown Binghamton Freedom Trail

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies have partnered with the Harriet Tubman Center for Freedom and Equity at Binghamton University to honor Bud Fowler, one of the first Black professional baseball players, with a memorial marker on the Downtown Binghamton Freedom Trail. The unveiling ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1, outside the box office at Mirabito Stadium, prior to the Rumble Ponies game against the Harrisburg Senators.

The Bud Fowler marker is the second marker on the Downtown Binghamton Freedom Trail, which consists of key Binghamton locations on the iconic Underground Railroad and other notable abolitionist and civil rights sites. Each marker on the Freedom Trail tells a story of individual courage, sacrifice and moral mettle, creating an anthology of late 19th-century abolitionist and civil rights activity in the Southern Tier. The first marker, honoring Harriet Tubman, was installed at the Binghamton University Downtown Center in March.

John W. Jackson Jr., better known as “Bud Fowler,” was one of the first Black players to integrate professional baseball, predating Jackie Robinson by more than 60 years. Fowler was a skilled pitcher, hitter and infielder. Some journalists hailed him as one of the best pitchers they had seen on the mound. Fowler played for multiple teams throughout his 20-year career — including at least two stints with the Binghamton Crickets — meeting discrimination and intolerance at every stop along the way. He played for the Binghamton Bingos in 1887 and was chased off the team on account of the color of his skin after 34 games despite being the team’s best player. Fowler was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.

Friday’s Rumble Ponies game starts at 7:05 p.m. with Miller Auto Team fireworks to follow. Binghamton University students, faculty, and staff can present their school ID at the Visions Federal Credit Union Starting Gate Box Office at Mirabito Stadium to receive a $5 ticket.